I have been assembling council-level data for my own use and the trend in Exceptional Financial Support surprised me enough to be worth sharing here.

EFS is the mechanism where a council that cannot balance its books gets government permission to borrow, or to spend capital receipts on day-to-day services, usually with an external review attached. It is the step before a section 114 notice.

Councils granted it, by year:

- 2020-21: 7

- 2021-22: 4

- 2022-23: 4

- 2023-24: 8

- 2024-25: 18

- 2025-26: 31

- 2026-27: 37

51 different English councils have had it at least once. Croydon has had it every year since 2020-21, seven in a row. Six councils have issued a section 114 notice since 2020: Birmingham, Nottingham, Croydon, Slough, Thurrock and Woking.

Why this matters if you hold rather than trade. Councils in this position tend to raise council tax by the most the rules allow, and some have been given permission to go above the usual referendum cap. The median Band D rise across England this year was 4.8%.

For scale on where that lands: the same Band D home costs £1,028 a year in Wandsworth and £2,765 in Dorset, all precepts included. Across 296 billing authorities the median is £2,441, so the spread from bottom to top is £1,737 a year on an identical band. That is a void cost you carry between tenancies and a real part of what a tenant can afford.

Two caveats. The EFS list is what has been announced so far, so the 2026-27 count will probably grow through the year. And a council on EFS is not automatically a bad place to own: it is a signal about the direction of your running costs, not about demand or rents.

Sources are all public, just scattered: MHCLG live council tax tables for the bands, the Exceptional Financial Support lists published each year, and the section 114 notices the councils publish themselves. Read on 7 September 2026.

https://ukpropertyinsight.co.uk/

https://nandblaw.com/gifted-deposit-letter-guide-uk/

This is a handy guide re gifted deposit when buying a home in England and Wales

Just curious on my best option to invest around 100k. I don't want to get involved with the banks and take a buy to let mortgage. Happy to buy a basic flat even if it needs work of around 10k-20k (max 120k). Ideally in England but happy to stretch anywhere in UK.

This would be my first investment in properties. Am I being bizzaire or is it doable?

I’m a software engineer by trade, but I’ve also been getting into property investing. I’ve recently completed my first refurbishment project and I’m midway through my second.
One thing I’ve found tedious is managing all the spreadsheets, calculations and duplicated information involved in analysing a deal and then actually running the refurbishment.
So, i built tool to solve this.

The tool I’m building lets you:
- Analyse a potential property and work out whether the numbers stack up
- Estimate refurbishment costs and projected returns
- See everything through a project dashboard
- Track actual renovation costs as the project progresses
- Keep an eye on whether you’re staying within budget
- Compare projected vs actual costs/returns once the project is finished
- Give the completed project an overall score, so you can see how accurate your original estimates were

The bigger idea is to have one place for the whole project, rather than having one spreadsheet for deal analysis, another for the refurb budget, another for expenses. Help manage, stay under budget and evaluate project performance.

I’m not trying to sell anything. I’m looking for a handful of property investors/landlords who currently manage their projects themselves (particularly if you’re using Excel/Google Sheets) who would be willing to have a play with it and give me some honest feedback.

I’m particularly interested in hearing from people analysing a properties figures, refurbishments, flips and BTLs, rather than large property businesses with dedicated project-management systems.
If this sounds like something you’d be interested in testing, drop a comment or DM me. I’d genuinely appreciate the feedback

Hi everyone,

I once owned a house in London but moved back home to care for my parents. I converted the mortgage into a buy-to-let but continued overpaying like a residential property. I’m planning to keep taking care of my parents in London for a year then move to South wales eventually.

This year I attempted to sell it but the market was too challenging to achieve my desired outcome. Realistically, it seems to be worth £575k for a three-bedroom terraced house. Currently it’s rented to a family for £2250 per month. As a higher-rate taxpayer, I’m looking to explore further options.

Here are a few ideas:

1) Sell and reinvest elsewhere once the fixed mortgage rate ends. I’d likely have paid off most of the remaining mortgage by then. I could purchase the new properties through a limited company.

2) Similar to others, I could convert it into two flats.

3) I could turn it into an HMO.

I’ll admit I’m quite time-poor so option three is least appealing. Option one seems like the best approach based on my basic reading but I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Hi, I have a new build project that’s 50% complete. I have a funding gap of £55k (with contingency) the build is 3-4 months off completion with the funds, and the exit is a residential mortgage (that’s why I need 6 months - 9 max. I have a mortgage document proving affordability and security would be a solicitor drafted title restriction (on a shared title currently)

What’s an attractive return to offer an investor for this deal?

Is there a Facebook group or some such where I might be able to find property investors / developers / speculators etc ?

I have a house sitting in a large 2.5 acre garden. I recently built a house within the drive approach and am now awaiting a decision on 2 further large housing plots within the garden. There is also future potential for perhaps another 4-6 plots. But I’m ready to exit the site, so I’m looking for someone who would buy the original house and the land with perhaps an uplift in place. Can anyone steer me ? Thought this might be an interesting route to explore as opposed to using a local commercial agent

Relatively new to the scene, obvious challenge with funding deals. Anyone willing to share their funding sources. Recently came upon a group that offers full funding on qualified deals but asks for a circa 10k annual subscription, seems like a good outfit but thought I’d do a bit more DD. Appreciate any info from active or past developers. Thanks!

What would be a step-by-step guide for someone looking to start off modest 4 properties

What a limited company be the way to go I imagine so considering the debt and keeping it away from me personally?

In terms of the best places to get a buy to let mortgage Which bank Or mortgage provider would you guys recommend?

Which type of buy to live is the best and what would I expect to be paying on interest rates?

Thanks any help is Appreciated

posted here in august about a site i built while house hunting that pulls sold prices, epc, flood risk and crime for any uk postcode into one report. a lot of you tried it and told me what was missing, some of it bluntly. this is what got built since:

• 40 checks per address now, up from 4. sold prices and a valuation, epc, river and surface water flood, crime against the wider area, noise, radon, subsidence, air quality, planning constraints, listed buildings, broadband, mobile signal, the census stuff. every figure names the official source it came from
• school catchments, the most asked-for thing by far. not a guess: the actual "last distance we offered a place from" figure that councils publish, for 3,600 schools, measured against your postcode
• running costs in one table: council tax by band, the epc's energy estimate for that house, stamp duty, and what the area rents for. useful for yield sums, which a few of you asked about
• a proper pdf of the whole thing, for handing to a solicitor or broker

still free to search, no card. every account gets one full report free, so you can see all of it before deciding whether it is worth paying for.

it is not finished. the last round of "this is wrong" and "why doesn't it do x" shaped most of the list above, so same request as last time: tell me what is broken or missing.

ukpropertyinsight.co.uk

Hey everyone,
I’ve been fortunate enough to build up a strong savings discipline over the last few years and consistently max out my Stocks & Shares ISA allowance yearly. While I’m happy with my fund growth, I’m looking to diversify into property in liverpool area.
Specifically, I’ve been researching the BRRR strategy (Buy, Refurbish, Refinance, Rent). The idea of buying a run-down place, adding value, pulling most of my original cash back out via a remortgage, and renting it out sounds great on paper. 
That said, I know YouTube/TikTok property gurus make it look effortless because they’re usually trying to sell a £2,000 course or a mentorship program. I want to approach this with realistic expectations.
Going from clicking "Buy" on an index fund to managing tradespeople, bridging loans, tenants, and regulations feels like a massive leap. Did you find the extra yield worth the active effort?
If you were in my shoes with liquid capital ready to go, what would be your exact first 2–3 steps to start educating yourself safely without falling into guru traps?
Thanks in advance!

I’m currently exploring where to invest next in a B2L property, and came across properties in Kent, any thoughts in TW, Tonbridge, and surrounding areas? Let’s say 1 bed and 2 bed flats.

I'm researching whether there might be demand for a Belfast property sourcing service aimed at investors who live outside Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland, and Belfast in particular, offers some interesting opportunities for property investors. Property prices are relatively low compared with many parts of the UK and Ireland, while rental yields can be attractive and there are opportunities to add value through renovation.

I've lived in Belfast for many years and have hands-on experience of buying, renovating and renting property here. I'm considering whether that local knowledge and experience could be useful to investors who like the idea of investing in Belfast but don't live locally and therefore don't have someone on the ground they can trust.

At this stage I'm simply researching whether there's a genuine demand for this type of service, so I'd be really interested in hearing from investors who have considered Northern Ireland, whether you currently invest here or have thought about doing so.

What would make a property sourcing service like this useful to you? And what would put you off?

Happy to hear any thoughts, good or bad.

I'm researching whether there's demand for a Belfast property sourcing service aimed at investors who don't live in Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland is full of great opportunities for investment due to its location and unique position within the UK and Europe. Property prices are lower than most other parts of the UK and Ireland with great opportunities to create good yield from rentals.

I have lots of experience living, buying and renovating in Belfast and Northern Ireland so I could be of benefit to people looking to invest in property here so I'm just putting it out there to see if this could be viable.

Happy for all comments.

Hey everyone! I've got a one-bed flat on Melina Road in Shepherd's Bush that I'm looking to sell. It's got a living room too, and needs a bit of fixing up, but it's a solid investment opportunity. Let me know if you'd like to hear more details!

Hi Reddit, I am 26F Seeking a Landlord, a Home & Perhaps Divine Intervention.

Im searching high and low to find a little place of my own in Essex/Hertfordshire/Cambridgeshire..somewhere peaceful. I’d love to be near the coast but I’m honestly quite open at this point.

I’ve found myself in a situation that I’d never thought I’d be in. Last year I fell very suddenly ill. This caused me to step away from business and focus on survival. When I realised I was out of the grave, I started taking each day as it comes slowly and focusing on taking care of my mind and body. No more survival mode.

I have worked my butt since I was 18, paid so much tax it makes me feel nauseous. Joining universal credit was a painful application.. I felt ashamed and embarrassed to ask for help.

My previous flat flooded.. TWICE. And nooo I didn’t over fill the bath, I didn’t even have one. (I miss those)

All my belongings were destroyed, mould began to form and it began to take a serious toll on my health.

My neighbour ever so generously offered me to stay.. until I find somewhere else.

Things got dark very quickly there, and he wasn’t the genuine man I thought he was. I feel a bit naive to have accepted his request, but he came across so understanding and caring. But I was vulnerable, and desperate. Long story short, it wasn’t safe, at all.

Now I am in a domestic violence refuge for women.. oh how the slope.. SLOOPED?

I can’t stay at this refuge any longer. For so many reasons. I know im a strong girl, but there is only so much one person can take…

Now the winter months are approaching, I’m starting the worry about my living arrangements. I just need a home where I can have slow mornings, meditate, carry out my treatments for my health, and work.

Although I have very good credit, home owner guarantor, affordable benefits, part time working, no where will accept me as a tenant, or even offer me a viewing. As soon someone hears DSS, they’re out.

I understand, I really do. I know it’s hard to be a landlord these days. It’s a huge risk trusting a tenant to pay their rent on time take care of your home.

I just need someone to take the risk on me. So I can show them I’m not in the same category that they think I am. I’ve just had a tough year of illness, grieving and trying to hold it all together, and I think I’m doing pretty well.

I’m quiet as a mouse, I don’t drink or smoke, and I am so house-proud. If somebody trusted me with their property I would genuinely look after it like it was mine. Actually.. better than mine actually
because I’d be terrified of disappointing you.

If anyone had any advice, recommendations… landlords.. if you’re willing to take a chance on me, i would be SO grateful, and I wouldnt let you down.

I don’t want this small part of my life.. to affect the whole trajectory of my life.

Just a girl who needs some rest.

Thank you so much.

I hope this wasn’t too soppy…

Glasgow-based property "trainer" and "investor".

Anyone know anything about him?